One of the group was Pat Magill, known around Napier as a social justice battler, who handed in a submission in support of Mr Upton on behalf of Napier Pilot City Trust and Te Araroa Offers Hope Trust.
The submission requested the $20 billion be used on housing and disadvantaged families.
Mr Magill also spent three days walking 60km from Kaitaia to support Mr Upton on the first leg of his journey.
When he heard what the Waiheke Islander had planned Mr Magill decided to put in his own submission on issues relating to Hawke's Bay.
"I thought that I've got to put something in, at least a suggestion that they can sit on," he said.
Mr Upton submitted his own petition to parliament in the hope that the money would be considered to be used for social welfare, particularly the 1000 Day Trust which was created to support new parents in Southland.
The petition is still able to be signed online and would not have been so successful without the help of Napier support driver Mr Kururangi who collected most of the signatures, Mr Upton said.
The pair met at Mr Magill's 90th birthday and Mr Kururangi offered to help the walker when he found out he needed a support driver.
Mr Upton decided to undertake his 55-day journey after finding the grave of a 14-year-old soldier on Waiheke Island.
This struck a chord with him because he felt New Zealand should support those in need rather than spending money on military.
He would like to see the country move to be more like Costa Rica, which does not have armed forces.
Mr Upton is now planning to bring former Costa Rica president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Óscar Arias to New Zealand for a visit.
His petition can still be signed at www.peacehikoi2017.nz.